Diabetes Information and Treatment Guide | Diabetes Myths

Diabetes Myths - Know about the Reality

04.29.2008 by Dr John Anne in Diabetes supplement

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Diabetes is contagious.

Diabetes is an endocrine disease and is basically caused by a problem with the amounts of insulin produced by the beta cells in the pancreas. Diabetes tends to be an inherited trait that runs in families — it is not contagious.

You can catch diabetes from someone else.

No. Although we don’t know exactly why some people develop diabetes, we know diabetes is not contagious. It can’t be caught like a cold or flu. There seems to be some genetic link in diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle factors also play a part.

People with diabetes are more likely to get colds and other illnesses.

No. You are no more likely to get a cold or another illness if you have diabetes. However, people with diabetes are advised to get flu shots. This is because any infection interferes with your blood glucose management, putting you at risk of high blood glucose levels and, for those with type 1 diabetes, an increased risk of ketoacidosis.

I can’t exercise because it will just worsen my diabetes.

Fact: People with diabetes can - and should - diabetes exercise. Working out regularly means better control of your diabetes and helps your body to better use insulin. Talk to your doctor first before starting any exercise program.

Type 1 diabetes is more serious than type 2

This myth is also widespread and its origin is historic. Before the discovery of insulin in 1922, the diagnosis of type 1 signified certain death within months. And while all people with type 1 require insulin to survive, it is possible to control type 2 without insulin. However a person may have type 2 for months or years before diagnosis, therefore serious complications, such as eye damage or kidney failure, may have already developed, making it more serious than type 1 in certain cases.

You Can’t Eat Sugar with Type 1 Diabetes

Today, there are probably more types of insulin available than are needed. A little injected insulin can take care of lots of sugar or other carbohydrates.A corollary to this myth is that diabetes caused by consuming too many sweets. Doctors have a pretty good idea of the cause of diabetes, and sweets have nothing to do with it.

Women with Diabetes Shouldn’t Get Pregnant

The woman with diabetes who’s even thinking about a pregnancy must improve her glucose control so that she has HbA1c below 7 percent before she conceives. She also must keep her blood glucose below 90 mg/dl before a meal and below 120 mg/dl an hour after the meal throughout the pregnancy.

People with diabetes cannot eat sugar. People with diabetes who eat sugar, even in moderation, are considered “cheating.”

Sweets are no more out of bounds to people with diabetes than they are to people who are not diabetic. Many diabetes nutritional programs include sweets in moderation if included as part of a healthy diet, or combined with exercise. People who take oral medications or insulin for their diabetes may sometimes need to eat high-sugar foods to prevent or treat low blood sugar.

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